Eurasia Press & News
Poland’s transfer of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine does not affect the United States’ position on the transfer of its F-16 jets to Kiev, National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said on Thursday.
“It doesn’t change our calculus with respect to F-16s. You’ve heard the [US] President [Joe Biden] talk about this. It’s not on the table right now,” Kirby said during a press briefing.
Earlier in the day, Polish President Andrzej Duda said Poland will hand over the first four MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in the coming days.
In February, US President Joe Biden said F-16 jets were off the table “for now” for Ukraine.
Addressing the issue, US Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl said that Ukraine has “at times” asked the United States for up to 128 fourth-generation fighter jets, a mix of F-15, F-18 and F-16 jets.
Kahl explained that the new production of F-16 jets for Ukraine would take three-to-six years to deliver, but the United States could deliver older model F-16 jets to Ukraine in about 18-to-24 months.
